Hair-rat.



STEPHENS HAIR RAT.

APPLIOATION FILED MAB.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANoaRAPN co..wAsmNuruN, D, c

G. N. STEPHENS.

HAIR RAT.

-' APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 29. 1909.

Patented 0111.111911.

2 .SHEETS-SHEET 2.

pmTEn sTaTns PATENT oriucn.

CHARLES N. STEPHENS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE SANITARY HAIR GOODS COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO', ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

HAIR-RAT.

Tov all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES N. STEPHENS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hair-Rats, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to improvements in hair-rats such as are shown and described in Letters Patent No. 7 97 ,625, granted to Bessie E. Stephens, August 2Q, 1905, in which a rat is composed of crimped wool, commercially designated as crpe wool, the fibers of which are disposed longitudinally of the rat, and have a combed out appearance, the fiber ends of which are united or tied by threads or twine-preventing the further pulling out of the fibers. Rats when so constructed of crpe wool differ from prior rats in that, in addition to being strong and durable, and an efficient device for supporting pompadours, they have the advantage of being flocculent throughout, and therefore self Ventilating, of minimum lightness, and of retaining their shape when` washed and therefore aseptic.

Rats, rolls and puffs made entirely of crpe wool are however softened by washing, and particularly after several washings for cleansing purposes, with the result that their resiliency is reduced to a degree, and sometimes the weight or else the tightening of the human hair about them has a tendency to produce an undesirable and occasionally an objectionable flatness in some coiffures in which they are used.

The object of my invention therefore is a rat which shall not only have the appearance and contain all of the desirable features attributable to the patented rat above referrecl to but in addition thereto be distinctly characteristic in that it will not soften after repeated washings, and be substantially and materially cheaper in cost of production.

More specifically stated, the object of my invention is a rat, roll or puff externally composed of crpe wool the fibers of which are disposed longitudinally of the rat, combined with a center composed of a substantially and essentially differing crimped or curled fiber, having all the characteristics `of crpe wool as to strength, durability,

fiocculency, lightness, self Ventilating and Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed. March 29, 1909.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911. serial No. 486,368.

aseptic characteristics, and which unlike crpe wool will not soften when washed or repeatedly washed, orin other words a rat having a covering of crpe wool, the fibers of which are disposed longitudinally of the rat, and a center composed of a hair fiber which will not soften on being repeatedly washed, and thereby maintain the original resiliency of the rat as a whole.

A. further object of my invention is a rat, roll or puff having a crpe wool covering with its fibers disposed longitudinally and provided with a center of a character avoiding any necessity for longitudinally disposing its fibers, and that without being so disposed are effectually concealed by the crpe wool covering, whereby the construction of a rat is reduced in cost both in time and material.

lVith these ends in view my invention finds embodiment in certain features of novelty in the materials, construction, combination and arrangement of parts by which the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as fully described in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the claim.

In said drawings: Figure 1 illustrates the arrangement of the center fibers preparatory to the formation of the center. Fig. 2 a side elevation of the center of a rat containing my invention. Fig. 3 a plane view of crpe wool as it appears in the market and showing the strings between which it is braided. Fig. 4 illustrates a plane View of a fractional length of crpe wool as it is prepared for covering the center shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 a side elevation illustrating the method of winding the crpe wool covering upon the hair center. Fig. 6 a side elevation of the completed rat including the fastenings of its ends. Fig. 7 a transverse section on the line 7--7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified construction of the center shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a detailed side elevation showing the arrangement of a short fine wool covering for said center. Fig. 10 is a transverse section showing the method of applying said short fine wool to the center. Fig. 11 is a transverse section through the completed modified rat; and, Fig. l2 a side elevation of a modified form of my rat in its completed state with a portion of the crpe wool covering removed therefrom to disclose the short wool covering for the thereby reduced to a fluffy condition, procenter.

Similar characters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In Fig. 1, 12 indicates a sheet composed of curled or crimped hair of the required dimensions and thickness to form a center 13 shown in Fig. 2, which sheet is preferably laid upon a table covered with canvas because possessing the required frictional resistance, and after turning one edge of the sheet upon itself the operator thereupon rolls it into a cylindrical form by using the iat of the hands, continuing said rolling until a cylindrical body is formed of the desired diameter and looseness or compactness of the hair as may be, whereupon with the edge of the hands the ends are rolled down to the form shown in Fig. 2, the operator pinching off the ends from time to time as may be necessary to reduce them substantially to their form.

For the construction of hair rats, rolls and puffs containing my invention I may use any so-called wire-like hair or bristles, that is to say such as grow at the ends of cows tails, the long bristles of a hog, but for rats in which the hair center is directly covered with crpe wool the hair from the mane and tail of horses and mules is preferred owing to its greater length combined with wire-like stiffness, whereby in their curled state they interlock in such a manner that their ends do not work into or protrude through the crpe wool covering or a rat as will the ends of curled hogs bristles owing to their shortness, and I preferably employ South American horse hair as it appears upon the market curled for hair mattress purposes, and for the reason that it is more uniform in size, resiliency and strength than other curled hairs, and is not only better adapted for hair rats than any other yet experimented with or found by me, but may be obtained perfectly cleansed, prepared and in large quantities at a cost not excessively above that of other and cheaper grades of hair.

The formed center, as above described, is now ready to receive its covering of crpe wool, which wool after being cleansed of oil and deodoriZed appears upon the market and is kept in stock, as shown in Fig. 3, that is to say, a single strand 14 of wool is braided between two strings 15 and 16, as indicated in Fig. 3, many yards in length and in differing colors and shades, and which owing to the fact that when the strings are pulled out it may be drawn out into a long narrow thin sheet of any desired length with the fibers interlocking with each other and disposed longitudinally thereof, it is particularly useful and desirable for hair rats, and for the further reason that it is l viding for perfect ventilation and that it is washable and therefore aseptic.

In preparing crpe wool for a covering a length is cut from a braid which, when pulled out, it will be several times the length of the rat to be covered, and thereupon the strings are first pulled from the cut piece and the operator proceeds to stretch the crimped strand both longitudinally and laterally until it is formed into a thin narrow strip but several times wider than when in its braided form, and in such a manner that the interlocked fibers appear to be of a continuous length throughout its strip as indicated at 17 in Fig. 4. The operator then takes the strip of wool thus formed, and after laying one end 18 over the end of the center 13, as indicated in Fig. 5, then continues winding the strip lengthwise about the center, shifting it laterally in the meantime until the center is not only covered but concealed within the crpe wool from sight and in the course of ordinary handling as occurs in making sales. 1When the covering of the center with crpe wool is completed, the operator then lays the structure upon the canvas covered table, rolls it down to the required diameter, and with the edge of the hands rolls down the ends of the covering to approximately a point, and until the roll is of the predetermined length, but if longer pulls pieces from the ends until of that length, and finally fastens the ends by means of a thread, twine or fine wire 19 wound thereon and fastened-the rat or roll then being completed.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 7 that in cross section a rat so formed has a center composed of curled hair, the ends of which extend at random, without pretense of order, and in many directions, while, on the other hand, the fibers of the crpe wool are disposed longitudinally of the body of the center and therefore of the completed rat. This interlocking of the fibers of curled hair, disposed separately as they are in every direction almost, not only tends to hold the center from spreading laterally but stretching lengthwise to a degree preventing the lengthening of the rat and a substantial lat-- eral displacement of the longitudinal fibers of the covering thereon after the end fibers of the hair center and of the crpe wool cover are bound together by a thread, twine or ine wire as before described. In other words, the fibers of the crpe wool next the hair center are so interlocked `therewith while being wound thereon, and by the hand rolling process before described, and as are also the fibers of the adjacent layers of crpe wool, that the lateral displacement of the longitudinally disposed fibers of the crpe wool are resisted in every direction from lateral displacement relative to each other,

which resistance is substantially promoted by the binding threads or Wires due to the greater tension resistance of the center longitudinally than'y of its covering of crpe Wool.

As before stated, curled horse hair instead of curled hogs7 hair and other short curled hairs, arepreferably used for centers because the greater length of the fibers of curled horse hair are so disposed in the rolling of the center to form, that its ends will not Work into and through the crpe wool covering as will the more numerous ends of the shorter hair fibers above referred to, and which not only tend to mar the sur'face appearance of the rat but are liable to prick and thereby be uncomfortable to the scalp of the wearer. 1n Figs. 9 to 12, however, l have shown as a modification of my invention, a means by which such short hair curled fibers may be employed for a rat center by Wrapping such a center with strips of uncurled fine Wool.

r1`he fine Wool, above referred to, is substantially illustrated (Fig. 1) in its commercial form, and as indicated at 20 in Fig. 10, in which form it will be seen that the fibers are longitudinally disposed, closely compacted and too dense to be utilized as a Wrapping until spread laterally as indicated at 21 in Fig. 8. That is to say, in order to successfully use this fine short Wool in Wrapping, the bunches are separately spread and laid criss-cross until a thin sheet is formed of sufficient length and breadth to entirely inclose the short hair center as indicated at 21 in Fig. 9. `When the hair binder Q1 is complete upon a center a thin sheet of crpe Wool 17, in every respect like that shown in Fig. 4L, is Wound from end to end of the structure and fastened at its ends by means of thread, twine or fine Wires 19 as illustrated in Fig. 6, holding together the fibers of the extremities of the crepe Wool, the

bindenand the center. A rat when so constructed has, like the rat shown in Fig. G, the appearance of one entirely of crpe Wool, and although not quite so resilient has the advantage of being much cheaper in cost and material, being sanitary Washable, and Within reach of a large number of persons Whose financial means do not justify them in buying the more expensive rat shown in Fig. 6, Which, in itself, is substantially cheaper than those made entirely of crpe Wool, over which it has the further advantage of not softening When Washed for cleansing purposes.

Although so far as I am noiv informed curled horse hair is the very best material for a rat center, and particularly When covered with crpe Wool with the fibers thereof disposed longitudinally, my invention includes any other curled fiber which may be productive of the same or substantially the same result-s, and this is equally true in the employment of short hair fibers and the Wrapping tlieiefoi'wlien concealed by a covering of crpe Wool, the fibers of which are disposed longitudinally of a rat, roll or puff.

lt should be understood that the proper distinction between rats, rolls and puffs is that a puff is shorter than a rat, may and usually does differ in shape, that a roll is somewhat longer and may be of greater diameter than is commonly employed for rats, but that the Word rat and roll are frequently indiscriminately used to indicate both a rat and roll as above defined.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is A rat, roll or puff having a center composed of curly hair, and a covering of crimped Wool the fibers of which are disH posed longitudinally of the rat, substantially as described.

In wit-ness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, this 26th day of March A. D., 1909.

CHARLES N. STEPHENS. [1.. S.] l/Vitnesses:

JNO. G. ELLIOTT, F. E. BROM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

